USA > Iowa > Adams County > Biographical history of Montgomery and Adams counties, Iowa : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state, engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 34
USA > Iowa > Montgomery County > Biographical history of Montgomery and Adams counties, Iowa : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state, engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 34
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Politically Mr. Young is a Democrat. He
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is a man of the strictest integrity, is frank and cordial with all, and occupies a place among the worthy and respected citizens of Carl township.
LEXANDER H. HOLLENBECK was born in Tully, Onondaga county, New York, August 8, 1846, son of Isaac and Lydia Maria (Bennett) Hollenbeck, both natives of New York. The father was a farmer by occupation, and died in 1874. The mother is still a resident of the Empire State. Of the eight children born to them Alexander H. was the fourth. Ile was edu- cated in the common schools and in Caze- novia Seminary. For eight years he was employed as a traveling salesman by a New York house, after which he engaged in the hardware business at Delavan, Illinois. In June, 1880, he came to Adams connty, Iowa, and since that time has resided in Colony township. He has 200 acres of land in section 32, well adapted for a stock and grain farm. Here on an eminence is located his home, a commodious two-story residence. His barn, stables, other outbuildings and fences are all in good condition and indicate the enterprise and prosperity of the owner. Two acres are devoted to an orchard, in which is found a fine assortment of fruits. Among Mr. Hollenbeck's stock are a number of high grade Norman horses, a fine Perch- eron stallion weighing 2,000 pounds, a herd of Shortliorn cattle, and some fine Poland- China hogs. He has two acres in artificial grove.
While a resident of Belvidere, Illinois, Mr. Hollenbeck was married at Cortland, New York, December 31, 1873, to Mary C. Gazlay, a native of that place and a graduate of Cortland Academy, Homer, that State. She is a daughter of Dr. II. C. Gazlay, a
practicing physician of Cortland county for more than fifty years, and still residing there. Both Mr. Hollenbeck and his wife were teachers before their, marriage. Two chil- dren, a son and daughter, have been born to them, namely, Ralph G. and Grace M.
Mr. Hollenbeck casts his vote and influence with the Republican party. He and his fam- ily attend the Congregational Church, of which his wife is a member. Although still a young man, Mr. Hollenbeck has had the benefit of much experience, and is to-day re- garded as one of the representative farmers of Adams county.
EORGE L. JACKSON is a native of Delaware county, Ohio, born May 6, 1844. His father, Leonard M. Jack- son, was born in Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, of Scotch-Irish extraction; his mother, nee Clarissa Clark, was a native of the Green Mountain State. His parents were inarried in Delaware county, Ohio, and the family lived in that State until 1855, when they came to Mahaska connty, Iowa, and settled on the frontier. The father died at the age of seventy-nine years. He was a shoemaker and followed that trade most of his life. In politics he was first a Whig, and later a Re- publican; in religion a Protestant. The mother died in Delaware county, Ohio, in 1854, leaving five sons and one daughter. The subject of our sketch was the third born in the family, and he was eleven years old when his father moved to Mahaska county, Iowa. There he grew to manhood on a farm and received his education in the public schools.
During the late war Mr. Jackson was one of the first to go out in defense of his coun- try. He enlisted in November, 1861, in
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Company C, Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, and served until August, 1865. He participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, Vicksburg, Black River, and was with Gen- eral Sherman on his memorable march front Atlanta to the sea. He was at the grand re- view at Washington, after which lie returned west and received an honorable discharge at Davenport. Iowa. Then going to his home in Mahaska county, he remained there until he came to Adams county and bought liis present farm, eighty acres, located on section 14, Carl township. His farm is well im- proved and cultivated, and its general ap- pearance shows the owner to be a man of enterprise.
At the age of twenty-three Mr. Jackson was married in Mahaska county, Iowa, to Miss Marie Hoff, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Samuel Hoff, of that State. He and his wife have eight children: Clarissa, Leonard, William, Emmory, Emma, Huldah, Charles and Ray. Clarissa is the wife of James Bohannan.
Mr. Jackson cast his first vote for Abra- ham Lincoln, and has ever since affiliated with the Republican party. He is a man in the prime of life, frank and cordial, and has the good will of all who know him.
EORGE H. RIDGEWAY (postoffice Cromwell, lowa) was born in Canada, May 14, 1847. His father, John Ridgeway, was born in Ireland, October 13, 1820, caine to America in 1840, and settled in New York. His mother, a native of Can- ada, was before her marriage Miss Lydia Wheeler. Of their seven children, five are living. George H. was about eighteen months old when his parents moved from Canada to New York. In 1866 they re-
moved to Illinois, where the father still resides.
In 1881 Mr. Ridgeway came from Illinois to Adams county, Iowa, and settled in sec- tion 25, Colony township, his present loca- tion. He owns 160 acres liere and eighty acres in Union county. His farm is highly cultivated and is devoted to general farming and stock-raising, he being especially inter- ested in fine cattle. He is one of the repre- sentative farmers of his township, his advice frequently being sought in matters of agri- cultural interest. He has held the office of township trustee; he has been a trustee of the Adams County Mutual Insurance Com- pany. Politically he is an Independent.
Mr. Ridgeway was married December 10, 1871, to Ida M. Wheeler, who was born in Canada, February 10, 1852. They have four children living-Albert, Charles, Irwin and Beal. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
OSEPH W. MAXEDON, a respected citizen of Carl township and a resident of Adams county, Iowa, since 1875, dates his birth in Orange county, Indiana, March 10, 1830. His father, Thomas Maxe- don, a native of South Carolina, was a son of Thomas, Sr., also a native of the South. Our subject's father was reared in Gibson county, Indiana, and in Orange county, that State, was married to Nancy Allen, a native of Tennessee and a daughter of Lewis Allen.
Joseph W. grew up on his father's farm in Orange county, attended the common schools, and early in life was taught industry, honesty and sobriety. His parents passed their lives and died in Indiana, the father at the age of fifty-four and the mother at eighty. The latter was a member of the
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
Baptist Church. Politically the fatlier was a Wlig, and by trade a saddler and harness and shoemaker. Two of their sons, Levi and Isom, were soldiers in the late war. The former, a member of the Thirty-seventh In- diana Infantry, dicd at Huntsville, Alabama; and the latter, a member of the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, is now a resident of Pratt county, Kansas.
The subject of our sketch lived in Indiana until 1874, when he came to Marion county, Iowa. In the spring of 1875 he took up his abode in Carl township. His farm, eighty acres, located in section 11, he purchased in 1885 of Irvin Polson, one of the old settlers of Carl township. This farm lias substantial improvements, is well cultivated, and has a general appearance of prosperity.
In Washington county, Indiana, in 1852, Mr. Maxedon wedded Clarra Radcliff, who was born in that county, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Brown) Radcliff, both natives of Kentucky. Her parents died in Wash- ington county. Mr. Maxedon has a sister, Mrs. Irvin Polson, in this township. Mr. and Mrs. Maxedon have ten children, namely: Margaret Jane, wife of Henry Polson, of Willson county, Kansas; Elizabeth, wife of Elbridge Clayton, of Adair county. Iowa; Frank, of Montana; Wesley, of Pratt county, Kansas; Nancy A., at home; Polly Ann, wife of J. Gibson, of Adams county, Iowa; James, at liome, Thomas, Samuel and Beverly R. They also had two children that died in infancy.
W. MILLER is one of the well known, early and prominent pio- neers of Adams county. He came here in October, 1853, and has since made this place his home. He was born in Wa-
bash county, Indiana, February 16, 1841. His father, Judge Jacob Miller, one of the first judges in Adams county, was born in Pennsylvania, a descendant of German ances- try. His mother was also a native of Penn- sylvania and of German extraction, her maiden name, Mary Wyant. The Judge was a miller by trade and while a resident of Pennsylvania owned and operated mills. About 1830 he moved to Wabash county, Indiana, and cleared away the forest and developed a farm. In the spring of 1849 he came with his family to Iowa, and settled near Eddyville, where he spent the summer. In the fall he moved to Lucas county and located near Chariton, remaining there until August, 1853, when he came to Adams county and entered Government land where Quincy now stands. He subsequently gave one-half of his tract to the county on condi- tion that the county seat be located there, which it was. The land was surveyed and platted by Dr. Wakeman Triplet. A son-in- law of Judge Miller built the first house and sold the first goods in Quincy, and the Judge himself built the second one, a log house. In October, 1854, Judge Miller died, leaving a widow and eight children, four sons and four daughters. One son, Jacob Miller, Jr., died at Vicksburg with small-pox. He was a member of the Fourth Iowa Infantry. The other members of the family are as follows: Martha Holbrook, a resident of Quincy town- ship, this county; William, of Bristol, Iowa; Sarah, also of this county; M. W., the sub. ject of our sketch; Jolin, of Kansas; Mary Huntington, a resident of California; and Eliza Ellen Reynolds, also of California. The last was the first child born in Quincy, her birth occurring in February, 1854. The mother died in September, 1886, aged seventy- four years. Judge Miller was a man of niany admirable traits of character, esteemed
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and respected by all who knew him. He was a member of the I. O. O. F.
M. W. Miller, whose name heads this sketch, was a lad of eight years when he came to Iowa, and was twelve when the family located in A damns county. Losing his father when only thirteen, he early began to do for himself and to assist his mother in caring for the younger children. His educa- tion was limited to the common schools, supplemented, however, by a practical busi- ness experience and by much reading at home. He improved a farm in Quincy town- slip. In 1879 he bought wild land in sec- tian 35, Douglas township, from year to year continued to improve it, and now has one of the best farms in the township. His com- fortable residence is located on a natural building site, and is surrounded by ever- greens, orchard and grove. His barn, out- buildings and fences are all in fine shape, and the general appearance of the premises at once stamps the owner as a man of enter- prise.
Mr. Miller was married December 3, 1865, to Miss Phebe R. Lawrence; she was born in Morgan county, Ohio, June 10, 1847, a daugh ter of Thomas and Patience (Devoll) Law- rence, mention of whom will be found on an- other page of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have one daughter, Maud R., born May 7, 1879. Mr. Miller is a Republican, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
ACOB STOVER, of Red Oak township, is one of the well-known settlers of Montgomery county. He was born in York county, Pennsylvania, July 30, 1826, a son of Michael and Elizabeth (Latchaw) Stover, natives of Pennsylvania, and of
German and Scotch ancestry respectively. The grandfather and great-grandfather of our subject were born on the same farm that he was. Jacob was reared and grew to manhood in York county, Pennsylvania. When fifteen years of age, his father bought a mill and he learned the miller's trade, which lie followed most of his time until 1872. He left Pennsylvania in the spring of 1854 and came to Du Page county, Illi- nois. He resided near Naperville one year, and then moved to Washington, Iowa. In 1855 he removed to Henry county, Iowa, where he resided until 1864, when he came to Montgomery county, and built a water- mill called the Old Keystone Mill, which he operated until 1872. He then sold the same and purchased the farm where he now lives, which is situated two and a half miles soutli- east of Red Oak. It consists of 240 acres, of which seventy acres are timber land, and the farın is well improved. Mr. Stover has a frame dwelling house, situated on a natural building site and surrounded by shade and or- namental trees. He has a barn, yards, feed lots and other substantial farm improve- ments.
He was married in Henry county, Iowa, in 1857, to Sarah Ann Tucker, who was born in Heny county, Iowa, near Mt. Pleasant. She is the daughter of Thomas Tucker, one of the early settlers of Henry county. Her mother was Roseilla (Harris) Tucker. Both parents were natives of North Carolina. Mr. Stover and wife have had seven children, viz: Thomas M., John J., Annie E., Charlie, E., William C. They have lost two by death- Ella J. and Sadie F.
Politically Mr. Stover is independent, but was reared a Democrat. Mrs. Stover is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Stover is a member of the Masonic Order of Red Oak, Blue Lodge No. 162, and of the Coin-
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BIOGRAPHIICAL HISTORY OF
mandery No. 34; also a member of the Chap- ter. lle was made a Mason at Marshall, Henry county, Iowa, in 1862, and has served this lodge in an official capacity. He is a man well informed on general topics, frank and cordial in his manner, and is one of the prominent men of Red Oak township.
RED HEDINGER, an intelligent and enterprising farmer, an old soldier and a popular citizen residing on section 23, Nodaway township, was born in the canton of Berne, Switzerland, November 27, 1843, a son of R. and Maria (Balher) Hedinger, both natives also of that canton, who in 1854 emi- grated to America, with eight children, set- tling in Monroe county, Olio, and lived there until their death. Fred was therefore brought up a farmer, receiving a good education.
Under President Lincoln's first call for 300,000 volunteers to suppress the great insurrection, Mr. Hedinger, in Angust, 1862, enlisted for his adopted country, in Company E, One-hundred and Sixteenth Ohio Infantry, which was attached to the army of Virginia, and participated in the battles of Moorefield, Winchester, Jackson, Piedmont, Lynchburg and Snicker's Gap. In December, 1864, it was transferred to the army of the James, and participated in the battles of Hatcher's Run, Fort Gregg and Rice's Station, and was at Appomattox Courthouse at the final sur- render. After his discharge, Mr. Hedinger returned to Monroe county, Ohio.
He served an apprenticeship at the carpen- ter's trade, and in 1868 came to Iowa, settling in Jasper township, Adams county, where he lived three and a half years. In 1872-73, his health being poor, he was in the East. During the latter year he worked at his trade in Wheeling, West Virginia, and then re-
turned to Ohio. In 1876 he came to Council Bluffs; later he sold out his interests there, purchased land in Adams county and contin- ned at his trade for six years. In 1882 he settled upon his farm, which now contains 120 acres of land, well supplied with a good residence, barn, ontbuildings, etc. In 1888 he attended the Twenty-second National G. A. R. Encampment and Exposition at Colum- bus, Ohio; lie also visited his former home and relatives and good old friends in Monroe county, Ohio.
He was married April 6, 1882, in this county (Adams), to Miss Madelia J. Millard, a re- fined and educated lady, brought up at Clin- ton, Iowa, from the year 1849. Her father, David W. Millard, was born in Montgomery county, New York, and married Amarett D. Jenkins, who was born at Waynesburg, that State, and was a successful teacher before her marriage. Mr. Millard was killed at Clinton, Iowa, by the great cyclone of 1860, which also severely injured his wife and family.
Mr. Hedinger is an independent Republi- can, a member of Meyerhoff Post, G. A. R., of Nodaway, and both himself and wife belong to the Baptist Church.
ILTON PERKINS was born in Bath county, Kentucky, September 10, 1831. He is a son of Thomas and Milly (Powel) Perkins, the former a native of Virginia Left an orphan at the age of nine years, Milton found a home with his brother-in-law, Joseph Scott, and was reared on a farm, receiving only a limited education. At the age of twenty he went to Park county, Indiana, where he lived three years; thence to Monroe county, Iowa, settling near Albia. At the latter place he bought eighty acres of wild land and improved it. He dates his
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MONTGOMERY AND ADAMS COUNTIES.
arrival in Adams county in 1874, and since that time he has been a resident of Carl township. He owns -ighty acres of good land in section 2, and here he is comfortably situated and engaged in general farming and stock-raising.
Mr. Perkins was married, in Park county, Indiana, in 1854, to Miss Mary Ann Koontz, a native of that place and a daughter of Phillip and Rebecca Koontz, her father a German by birth. Mr. and Mrs. Perkins have four children: Henry Walter, who is married and lives in Union county, Iowa; Sarah Jane, wife of William Rudicil, of Col- orado; Ida Ann, wife of Edward Garrett, of Carl township, this county; and William Grant, who owns an eighty-acre farm adjoin- ing his father's on the north.
In politics Mr. Perkins is independent. voting for the man rather than the party. He is plain and unassuming in his manner and speech, and observes the strictest integ- rity in all his dealings. He and his wife and . their three oldest children are members of the Evangelical Association of Mount Zion Church.
AMUEL SMART .- Adams county is not behind other counties of the State in its indebtedness to the Emerald Isle for the many worthy sons and daughters that have come from that country across the sea to find homes in this.
The gentleman whose name heads this biography was born in the beautiful city of Belfast, county Down, northern Ireland, April 3, 1835, son of Thomas and Margaret (Graten) Smart, both natives of county Down and of Scotch-Irish extraction. The parents passed their lives and died in Ireland. They were Protestants, and in that faith reared
their family. They had eight sons and three daughters.
The subject of our sketch was reared on a farm in his native land and received his edu- cation there. In 1859 he took passage from Belfast to Liverpool and thence to New York. He soon afterward went to Rochester, Monroe county, New York. He was a member of the Home Guards during the war, joining in 1862. After the war he moved to Illinois and settled at Peoria, where he lived for a time. From there he came to Adams county, Iowa, and bought forty acres of wild land. Here he has since lived; prosperity has at- tended him; he has added to his original pur- chase, and now owns 160 acres of fine, well- improved land in section 22, Carl township. He is engaged in general farming and stock- raising, and also owns and operates a thresher, having had thirty years' experience in thresh- ing.
Mr. Smart was married in New York State to Miss Isabelle Dryden, who was born and reared in Dundee, Scotland, daughter of John and Katty Dryden. They have five sons, U. S. Grant, John, Dryden, Arthur and Thomas, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Agnes. Elizabeth is the wife of A. B. Polson, of Carl township, this county, and Agnes is the wife of William Pell, of Prescott township. Mr. Smart is a member of the Christian Union Church, as are also his wife and daughters.
ILLIAM STIPE, a prominent citizen of Montgomery county, Iowa, date- his arrival here in 1853, and conse- quently is to be ranked with the early settlers of this section of the country. He comes of good old Virginia blood, and in his compo-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
sition are found those elements which go to make up the true pioneer.
William Stipe was born in Frederick county, Virginia, April 17, 1820. His father, Frederick Stipe, a native of the same place, was a son of Jolin Stipe, also a native of the Old Dominion, and a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war. Grandfather Stipe was of Dutch ancestry, and lived to be eighty-four years old. The mother of William Stipe was be- fore her marriage Dianna McVicker. She, too, was born in Frederick county. Virginia, and was a daughter of William McVicker, a descendant of Scotch-Irish stock. Fifteen children were born to Frederick and Dianna Stipe. The parents lived in Virginia until 1860, when they moved to Champaign county, Illinois, where they died. By ocen- pation the father was a fariner; in politics, a Democrat.
The subject of our sketch spent his youth on a farm in his native State, and at the age of seventeen went to Athens, county, Ohio, where he lived for two years. He then drove a four-horse team from Athens county, Ohio, to Van Buren county, Iowa, on the way so- journing for a short tine in Illinois. He settled at Bonaparte, Iowa, and helped to build that town; freighted np to where the fort was at Des Moines and also helped to build that town. During this time he be- came acquainted with Black Hawk and his tribe and learned to speak their language fluently. He was a neighbor of old James Jordan, one of the first inen to trade with the Indians in Iowa.
About this time the great tide of immigra- tion was sweeping toward California, and in the spring of 1850 Mr. Stipe started overland with ox teams for that land of golden prom- ise, being five months and eleven days en ronte .. For two years he remained in Cali- fornia, mining, prospecting, farming and
teaming. At the end of that time he re- turned, via the Isthmus of Panama, New York and Chicago, to Wapello, Iowa, where he joined his wife. Returning East, he spent a short time in Virginia, after which, in the spring of 1853, he came back to Iowa and took up his abode in Montgomery county. There were then only seven men in the eastern part of the connty. As was usual with the pioneers, his first work was to build his log cabin. It may hero be stated that Mr. Stipe's brother David lived with him for fifteen years. In these primi- tive cabins on the western border the circuit rider always received a warm welcome, and here with a dozen or fifteen pioneers gathered around him he would earnestly preach the Word and offer most fervent prayer. In the Stipe cabin many a preacher was entertained and many a quarterly meeting held. Among these pioneer preachers were Elder James Wran and Rev. Mulholland. In 1863 the old log house gave way to a comfortable fraine one, which, in 1885, was replaced by a modern two-story residence with bay windows, porches, etc., and well finished and furnished throughont. It is beautifully located and surrounded with evergreens, shrubs, and orchard. A fine barn, 38 x 50 feet, with stone basement-these and other improve- ments in keeping with them render the farm a most valuable one. Mr. Stipe is exten- sively engaged in raising and buying and selling stock. He now owns 740 acres of land, all in Douglas township.
Mr. Stipe was married October 8, 1846, to Miss Ann Caywood, a woman of superior in- telligence and possessing many amiable qual- ities, who has been indeed a most worthy helpmate to her honored husband. She was born in Tennessee, daughter of Allen Cay- wood and Matilda, his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Stipe have three children: Matilda, wife of
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William H. Ellenwood of Douglas township, this connty, has six children; Georgianna, wife of Charles Mercer, residing near Elliott, also lias six children; and Jane, wife of Ep- som Beals, who lives near Grant, has four children.
Politically Mr. Stipe has always affiliated with the Republican party, but has never been an office-seeker. For many years he and his wife have been worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stipe are self-inade, and the success they have attained in life may be attributed to their honesty, industry and good manage- ment rather than to any special advantages they received in their youth. Long may these pioneers live to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
OHN N. RAMSAY .- This prominent and influential pioneer citizen has re- sided in Adams county since 1855. Coming here when the country was wild, he has been an important factor in developing its resources, and is justly entitled to the success which has crowned his efforts.
Mr. Ramsay was born in Putnam connty, Indiana, in November, 1832. His parents, John and Catherine (Thompson) Ramsay, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky, were married in Montgomery county, Kentucky. When Jolin N. was six weeks old liis parents returned to Kentucky, and his mother died there when he was six years old. In 1848 his father went back to Indiana, and the following year made the overland trip with mule teams to California, returning the same year. His death occurred in 1851, at the age of fifty years. By trade lie was a brick mason. Of their fonr children three are living, namely: Georgia Ann Ham- ilton, of Parke county, Indiana; John N.,
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